Slovak News Back to the news
KDH Files Legal Complaint Concerning Smer's Financing
Thursday 20 May 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, May 20 (TASR) - Chairman of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) Jan Figel and KDH vice-chair Daniel Lipsic filed a criminal complaint at the Prosecutor-General's Office on Thursday morning in connection to recently-published allegations concerning the financing of the main coalition party Smer-SD.
"We've been working on information that appeared in the media this week and that concerns crimes such as tax evasion, indirect corruption, unjustified benefiting, bribery and possibly others," said Figel, adding that KDH proposes the interrogation of Prime Minister and Smer chairman Robert Fico, businessman Fedor Flasik (head of Smer's election campaign in 2002), Government Office head Igor Federic and businessman Bohumil Hanzel, who brought the allegations to light.
"A serious suspicion has been published and it's not only a matter of a single statement made by former (Smer) MP Hanzel, but also of documentary evidence," said Lipsic, concerning an alleged agreement on co-operation between Flasik and now deceased businessman Lubomir Blasko that was covered in the media. Flasik has strongly denied its authenticity and labelled it a forgery.
"The evidence creates the suspicion that the Smer party wasn't formed as a party for the people, but as a party of financial people and businessmen - that the Smer party in fact operates as a business company," said Lipsic.
Figel at the same time called on Fico to explain in a trustworthy way how the party was financed. "Otherwise, he (Fico) should consider his political responsibility," said Figel.
In an interview published by SME daily on Wednesday, Hanzel claimed that he has seen a notarised agreement between Smer and five sponsors of the party that concerned specific places on Smer's election slate in 2002 (Smer's first campaign). Hanzel said that he arranged meetings in 2000-02 between Fico and Smer's sponsors, who sank tens of millions of crowns into the party. In addition, Hanzel claimed that he can provide proof that in late 1999 he and Fico agreed to seek out influential people willing to bankroll the party.
Hanzel also reaffirmed his recent statements that Smer's election campaign in 2002 cost Sk284 million (€9.4 million), far more than the officially announced figure.
Fico on the same day poured scorn on Hanzel's statements. "He's basing his accusations on some sort of notes (of his). They're utter hogwash, I feel sorry for him," said the premier.
All rights reserved. Any publishing or further dissemination of press releases and photographs from TASR's resources without TASR's prior written approval constitutes a violation of the Copyrights Act.
